@thenationalaq This young sea turtle came to us in critical condition — covered in barnacles and barely able to move. Reminder: Never attempt to remove barnacles yourself. If you find a turtle in distress, please contact us immediately. #thenationalaquariumabudhabi #wildliferescue #seaturtles #barnacles #barnacleremoval ♬ original sound – TNAToks

Almost all sea turtle species are classified as threatened or endangered under the IUCN Red List. That’s why helping a turtle is not only the compassionate thing to do, but it’s also important for the future of these creatures. Luckily, the team at the The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi are doing just that. They recently shared how they helped a sea turtle covered in barnacles, saving its life.

As we’ve previously seen, barnacles may seem small and insignificant, but they can cause great damage to the turtles. They can add weight and block their eyes and nostrils, making it easier for predators to catch them. The sea turtle assisted by the aquarium was barely moving, so they quickly got to work. “Our team completed a full health assessment before beginning the barnacle removal,” they say in a now-viral video.

In the video, a veterinarian can be seen slowly but steadily removing the barnacles, one by one. Soon, the turtle’s shell recovers its dark green-gray shade. While the places where the barnacles injured the turtle can be seen, the animal seems to be in good spirits, flapping its arms after being run under the water tap and tickled by the staff. “Now that’s a real sign of positive energy,” they say.

The next step will be running further tests to identify any underlying conditions that led to the turtle being covered in barnacles. “Barnacles often attach when a turtle is already sick or weak,” the aquarium explains. And while it may be tempting to help a turtle like this if you ever encountered one, the team says that this has to be done by professionals as doing it carelessly can inflict more damage than good.

The team is no stranger to going the extra mile to help injured or distressed turtles. Other videos show them helping various turtles, including one with a sliced shell, another with a massive cyst on its head, and yet another of rescued baby sea turtles being nurtured before they are released into the ocean.

The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi boasts one of the largest wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs in the Middle East. “In partnership with Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi, our team rescues injured marine animals across the emirate. To date, we have rescued, rehabilitated, and released more than 1,300 sea turtles back into the wild,” the aquarium shares in the comments.

To stay up to date with the heartfelt interventions and efforts from this organization, make sure to follow The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi on Instagram and TikTok. If you’re ever in Abu Dhabi, you can also learn more about their labor by visiting the aquarium. You can plan your visit on their website.

The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi shared how they helped a sea turtle covered in barnacles, saving its life.

@thenationalaq He arrived covered in barnacles — skinny, exhausted, and in need of urgent help. After a full barnacle removal, he’s already feeling lighter and on the road to recovery. If you ever see a turtle in trouble, please contact us anytime. Your call can save a life. Come visit us at The National Aquarium to meet our rescued sea turtles as they recover before being released back into the ocean. #SeaTurtleRescue #TheNationalAquarium #MarineConservation #RescueRehabRelease #abudhabi ♬ original sound – TNAToks

The team is no stranger to going the extra mile to help injured or distressed turtles.

@thenationalaq Another chapter in our turtle rescue story. Meet Shieka — our green sea turtle who needed a delicate surgery to get her second chance back in the ocean. With the incredible care of our vet Dr. Natassia and Dr. Jim from @europetsclinic Sharjah, who generously volunteered his expertise, the surgery was a success. Our doctors were able to remove the entire cyst at the back of her head — weighing 85 grams — giving Shieka a real shot at a healthy, wild future. This is more than just a procedure. It’s another story of care, dedication, and hope for our oceans — and we’re so proud to share it. Thank you to @environmentabudhabi and everyone who makes moments like this possible. #SeaTurtleRescue #Shieka #WildlifeRescue #MarineConservation #thenationalaquariumabudhabi #EuroPets #EAD #abudhabi #environmentalagencyabudhabi ♬ original sound – TNAToks

Other videos show them helping a turtle with a sliced shell.

@thenationalaq Meet Kraken One of our most special rescue cases this year — found with a crack across his carapace, fighting through every challenge. Our team is using advanced negative pressure therapy to support his healing, giving him the best chance at recovery. Every rescue has a story. This is Kraken’s #WildlifeRescue #SeaTurtle #NationalAquariumAD #RescueRehabRelease #Conservation ♬ original sound – TNAToks

The also look after rescued baby sea turtles before they are released into the ocean.

@thenationalaq It’s Aqua Babies Month! Come say hi to our adorable rescued baby sea turtles before they head home to the ocean! ✨ #aquababies #babyseaturtle #wildliferescue #thenationalaquariumabudhabi #seaturtles ♬ Cheerful Baby – FASSounds

The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi: Website | Instagram | TikTok

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READ: Kind Aquarium Workers Save Young Sea Turtle’s Life by Removing Barnacles Covering Its Entire Body

Shakira (Photo: Image Press Agency/Depositphotos), Jung kook of BTS (Photo: thenews2.com/Depositphotos), and Madonna (Photo: s_bukley/Depositphotos)

For the first time ever, the FIFA World Cup final will have a halftime show. Given the popularity of the event, some massive acts have been listed for the occasion. The show will be co-headlined by Madonna, BTS, and Shakira. FIFA has also revealed that characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets will be part of the show.

The event is being produced by Global Citizen and curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, who previously collaborated on the Club World Cup final in summer 2025. The lineup was announced in a video starring Martin himself alongside Elmo. The effort will spotlight FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aiming to raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and soccer opportunities for children around the world.

“I’ve spent my life doing two things—making songs and building schools,” Shakira says via a press release. “At the FIFA World Cup, those two paths come together. Standing alongside Madonna and BTS, I’ll be performing ‘Dai Dai,’ the song I created for this World Cup and for the kids around the world we will reach with the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. My hope is that on the world’s biggest stage, the importance of investing in children’s education steals the show!”

While musical performances have long taken place at the World Cup final, these are usually held before the start of the match, keeping halftime to a strict 15 minutes. The inclusion of this sort of spectacle has raised eyebrows among fans, who worry that a show of this size may break momentum and serve as a push to “Americanize” this global tournament, making it similar to the NFL Super Bowl halftime show.

The FIFA World Cup final is taking place on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at MetLife Stadium—which has been temporarily renamed New York/New Jersey Stadium during the latter tournament due to FIFA stadium sponsorship regulations. If you’re in the U.S., you can follow it live on Fox Sports and Telemundo.

Sources: Madonna, Shakira and BTS to co-headline historic Final Halftime Show; Why some purists can’t stand the idea of a World Cup halftime show

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READ: Shakira, BTS, and Madonna Will Headline the FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show

Photo: pixologic/Depositphotos

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 53 million U.S. adults have arthritis, and that number is expected to increase as people live longer. This incurable condition affects the joints and the tissues around them. As such, managing symptoms is key to reducing pain and improving the quality of life for patients. One of the latest efforts in the crusade against this condition comes from Stanford University, where scientists found a way to regrow aging cartilage, raising hopes for arthritis treatments.

The team, led by Helen Blau, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology, and Nidhi Bhutani, PhD, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, tested an injection that blocks the activity of a gerozyme, a protein involved in aging, known as 15-PGDH. This targets the cause of osteoarthritis, the most common kind of arthritis, in which the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down as we grow old.

The animal-tested treatment blocked the function of 15-PGDH with a small molecule, resulting in an increase in old mice’s muscle mass and endurance, reversing the naturally occurring cartilage loss in the knee joints of animals. It was also tested on samples of human tissue from knee replacement surgeries, where it also responded by making new, functional cartilage. The scientists also found that the injection also prevented the development of arthritis after knee injuries, such as ACL tears.

“Millions of people suffer from joint pain and swelling as they age,” Bhutani told Stanford Medicine. “It is a huge unmet medical need. Until now, there has been no drug that directly treats the cause of cartilage loss. But this gerozyme inhibitor causes a dramatic regeneration of cartilage beyond that reported in response to any other drug or intervention.”

“This is a new way of regenerating adult tissue, and it has significant clinical promise for treating arthritis due to aging or injury,” Blau added. “We were looking for stem cells, but they are clearly not involved. It’s very exciting.”

Now, it is reported than an oral version of the treatment is in clinical trials. With some luck, it will become a reliable resource in treating age-related muscle weakness that affects so many people.

Sources: Inhibiting a master regulator of aging regenerates joint cartilage in mice

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READ: Scientists at Stanford Find a Way To Regrow Aging Knee Cartilage and Prevent Arthritis

 

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Una publicación compartida por adidas México (@adidasmx)

For many years, the embroidery of Indigenous Mexican artisans was sadly looked down on—a fact that even Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum has acknowledged. Luckily, the world has begun to correct its ways, celebrating the artistry and technique behind the artisans’ ornate creations. With this, traditional embroidery has entered a new realm: soccer. Adidas and Someone Somewhere teamed up with 150 artisans from the state of Puebla to elevate the new Mexico Soccer National Team third jersey with their craft.

For the first time, a limited-edition soccer jersey embellished by Mexican artisans has been released. The collaboration, which goes beyond a jersey, features a t-shirt, a dress, pants, shorts, and a jacket. The pieces were co-created with the crafters, from the research process to the design stage. For 15 months, the artisans brought 100,000 embellishments to life in three embroidery workshops in the Naupan community of Puebla.

“The collection generated more than 165,000 hours of inclusive work for Indigenous women, who demonstrated that when opportunities arise and work models are designed to meet their needs, they can achieve even the unimaginable,” said Antonio Nuño, cofounder of Someone Somewhere. The company’s name is put into action on the garment tag, where every tag features the name of the crafter (someone) and where it was made (somewhere), as well as a QR code linking to the profile of the artisan on Someone Somewhere’s website.

Among the details adorned by the artisans are the Adidas trefoil and the Mexico National team logo, plus additional floral motifs in the signature Adidas stripes that cover the shoulder area. This limited edition is also available in a lifestyle version with a relaxed polo neck.

The landmark work has been entered into the Adidas archive in the company’s headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, alongside other historic pieces like soccer balls from previous World Cups and some of Adidas’ earliest shoes. For this induction, two of the artisans, Petra and Catalina, traveled to Germany, where they witnessed their work being put in an archival clothing bag that will safeguard it for decades to come.

To learn more and order your limited edition jersey, visit Someone Somewhere’s website.

For the first time, a limited-edition soccer jersey embellished by Mexican artisans has been released.

 

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Una publicación compartida por adidas México (@adidasmx)

Adidas and Someone Somewhere teamed up with 150 artisans from the state of Puebla to elevate the new Mexico Soccer National Team third jersey with their craft.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Someone Somewhere Mx (@someonesomewhere.mx)

Each piece features the name of the crafter who embellished it, where it was made, and a QR code linking to the profile of the artisan on Someone Somewhere’s website.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Someone Somewhere Mx (@someonesomewhere.mx)

Someone Somewhere: Website | Instagram

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READ: Indigenous Artisans Elevate Adidas’s Mexico National Team Jersey With Traditional Embroidery

Photo: philipimage/Depositphotos (Not an image of the actual mother from the story.)

To be loved is to be known. And a young woman named Lauren Elizabeth Burkardt is well known by her mom, Linda Van Valkenburgh. Knowing that her daughter has been a passionate bibliophile since she was little, Van Valkenburgh created a detailed bookshelf quilt featuring 125 of the many books Burkardt has read throughout her life.

“Mom gave me a treasure beyond words this year,” Burkardt wrote in the caption of a viral TikTok video, showing the amazing gift she got for Christmas 2022. Van Valkenburgh titled her work My Daughter’s Heart, and added an inscription that reads, “My Lauren, ever since you were a tiny being, you knew what you loved. Never lose that compass point.”

In a follow up video, Burkardt reveals that her mom worked on the quilt for three years. In addition to the books, the quilt features touching elements in the form of picture frames with photographs of her with her grandpa, given he was the one who would take her for books all the time, as well as a picture of her at her sister’s wedding. There is also a picture of her grandfather’s favorite bird, and even Burkardt’s cats appear in the composition, seemingly climbing onto the bookshelf.

In this quilted bookshelf, titles for children’s books, like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, coexist with novels, like The Bell Jar, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Pride and Prejudice. It’s as though the quilted books are chronicling her growth both as a reader and as a person. “Books I love, books that shaped me, books that stuck with me, books she read to me, books that my grandfather treasured, and the last book he ever gave me. She stitched them all together, so that I could keep them forever. This is my heart on display,” Burkardt wrote.

Even more touching is one of the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it details, but one that meant the world to Burkardt. “My mom even included my dream of being an author on the shelves,” she shares, showing her dream book, titled Rates of a Pillar, added to the quilt as a #1 New York Times bestseller. “I wish you all this much love. I love you mom.”

A loving mom named Linda Van Valkenburgh created a bookshelf quilt featuring 125 of the books her daughter, Lauren Elizabeth Burkardt, has read throughout her life.

@renelizabeth Mom gave me a treasure beyond words this year ❤️ @Linda VanValkenburgh #christmas #gift #quilt #quiltersoftiktok #fyp #foryoupage #christmas2022 ♬ Home – Edith Whiskers

“She stitched them all together, so that I could keep them forever. This is my heart on display.”

@renelizabeth Part Two: My heart on display ❤️ Thank you, Mom @lindavanvalkenbur8 #Christmas #Gift #Quilt #QuiltersOfTikTok #fyp #foryoupage #BookTok #QuiltTok #ChristmasGift #Christmas2022 #Library #Books #Reader ♬ Here Comes the Sun – Relaxing Instrumental Music

Burkardt also shared a video of her mom reacting to the nice comments about her quilt and her love for her daughter.

@renelizabeth Replying to @chaos.bi These comments keep making us cry ❤️ Mom wants to say thank you for all the love!! ❤️ @lindavanvalkenbur8 #Quilt #QuiltersOfTikTok #QuiltTok #Books #BookTok #fyp #foryoupage #foryou #Christmas #Gift ♬ Up – Movie Theme – Giampaolo Pasquile

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READ: Loving Mom Crafts a Bookshelf Quilt Featuring 125 Books Her Daughter Has Read in Her Life

Mexico City has grown into one of the most alluring destinations in the world. Part of its charm is its unparalleled mixture of tradition and modernity. Colima 71, a stylish hotel in the bustling Roma Norte neighborhood, encompasses this sentiment. Designed with a profound reverence for the culture at the door, the hotel marries warmth with style.

The property was designed by T.A.X. by Alberto Kalach, the Mexican architect best known for his work at the soaring, mind-boggling Biblioteca Vasconcelos in Mexico City. Devoted to integrating architecture with nature, the architectural team translates this vision into Colima 71’s residential-inspired design by seamlessly incorporating materials, including metal, stone, and wood. The result is a cozy yet clean environment, crowned by private balconies that overlook the hotel’s courtyard and wash the interiors in daylight.

The interior design, led by Nomah Studio and Karla Celerio, draws from Roma Norte’s current artistic splendor and grandeur of yesteryear. The creatives bring marble and wood into the rooms and shared spaces, pairing them with forward-looking furniture boasting rich fabrics like velvet and French tapestries. With this, the team achieves a luxurious yet calm atmosphere that both resets the guests and inspires them to continue exploring.

As a testament to Colima 71’s commitment to the local art scene, the hotel features some insightful art offerings within its walls. These include a towering sculptural installation by Darío Escobar, featuring bicycle tires, stainless steel, and brass, which frames the glass and metal escalator as well as the central staircase. Visitors can also browse a photography collection by contemporary artist Iñaki Bonilla, and an Art Deco-inspired latticework installation designed by artist Sofía Taboas. It’s reminiscent of the glamorous window grates found in the classic houses in Colonia Roma.

“This is a very special project for Mexico City, and in particular, Colonia Roma Norte. At Colima 71, we wish to take our guests on an immersive journey through the neighborhood’s unique culture and lifestyle that begins as soon as they set foot in our hotel,” says Ana Ongay, managing director of Colima 71 Art Community Hotel.

“We’re just minutes from the best restaurants in the city, the most inspiring art galleries, and eccentric artisan shops, all nestled among the destination’s historical architecture and natural beauty. We want to provide our guests with a comfortable, design-forward home base and encourage them to explore the vibrant surrounding neighborhoods.”

To learn more and book your stay, visit Colima 71’s website. You can also stay up to date with the hotel by following Colima 71 on Instagram.

Colima 71, a stylish hotel in the bustling Roma Norte neighborhood of Mexico City, marries tradition with modernity.

Colima 71: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Colima 71/Decker Royal.

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Una publicación compartida por IlmFeed (@ilmfeed)

The India-Pakistan conflict runs deep, spanning decades since the partition of British India in 1947. Among its recent heightened episodes was India’s Operation Sindoor airstrikes on May 7, 2025, following the deadly Pahalgam attack a few weeks prior. After the strikes, a TV crew went outside to conduct street interviews about people’s celebratory thoughts on the retaliation, not knowing they would instead come across a teen boy who put peace and humanity first.

A viral clip shows a teenager who identifies as Muhammad Kaif from Bihar, India, shutting down war talk against Pakistan, despite the repeated attempts from the reporter. When asked, “Long live Pakistan?” Muhammad calmly replies, “Long live,” shocking the person behind the camera.

The reporter then asks if he thinks Pakistan shouldn’t be destroyed, and if he supports both India and Pakistan. “Long live India and Pakistan in their own space. You too long live in your own space,” Muhammad says. The reporter then tries calling him out, asking if he feels even a little ashamed of supporting Pakistan even though he lives in India. “Oh, so you’re making the news. Aren’t you ashamed about it? Aren’t you ashamed making news and spreading it everywhere?” Muhammad strikes back, catching on to the reporter’s search for an incandescent headline.

“There are people over there too, here too, Muslims there too, Hindus there too, Hindus here too. Everyone is human, then why kill everyone? Tell me! Tell me why everything should be destroyed. Everyone has a right to live. Everyone has that right. Then why destroy them?”

Confounded by the boy and wondering if there are some opposing forces at play, the reporter ends the interview asking Muhammad, “Who taught you this?” Which the boy sharply shuts down by replying, “I have a brain, man,” before disappearing into the crowd. This episode shows that peace is never an imposed ideology, but war and violence always are.

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READ: Teen Boy From India Refuses to Spread Hate in TV Interview Amid Tensions With Pakistan

Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

Frida Kahlo famously pasted away at the age of 47 in her home, La Casa Azul, which today is the Frida Kahlo Museum. Her husband, Diego Rivera, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship until the end, later stated that her death was the most tragic day of his life. Composer Gabriela Lena Frank and playwright Nilo Cruz imagine what one last encounter between the two artists would look like in the opera El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego (translation: The Last Dream of Frida and Diego) now playing at the Met.

The opera is framed around Day of the Dead in 1957 (the year of Kahlo’s death), with Rivera yearning for Kahlo to return to the land of the living once more, sensing his own death is close (Rivera would die weeks later, on November 24). However, Kahlo is not entirely convinced, as her return would bring back both the physical and emotional pain she experienced throughout her life. “I’ve suffered two serious accidents in my life: one was the tram,” she said about the traffic accident that caused her lifelong injuries, “and the other was Diego. Diego was the worst of them all.”

The volatile nature of their relationship is intertwined with references to their work, which are also present in the stunning set design. “She’s convinced to come back because she actually wants to see her art and she wants to see her house and she wants to visit the world again, you know?” mezzo soprano Isabel Leonard, who plays Kahlo, told NPR. “She loved the world and she was in love with the colors of her home and the animals and the market. She had such passion, I think, for all of those things, including for Diego.”

Sung entirely in Spanish, Frank opted to make traditional Mexican music a delicate narrative motif rather than the backbone of the score. The opera is directed and choreographed by Deborah Colker, who previously oversaw the 2024 production of the Grammy-winning opera Ainadamar. The cast is rounded out by Spanish baritone Carlos Álvarez, who plays Rivera; Gabriella Reyes, who plays the role of la Catrina, the guardian of the dead; and Nils Wanderer as Leonardo, an actor who shares Kahlo’s artistic vision.

To further immerse viewers into the world of Kahlo and Rivera, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) launched an exhibition titled The Last Dream in tandem with the production. Curated from MoMA’s own collection, the exhibit features five paintings and a drawing by Kahlo, as well as over a dozen pieces by Rivera and photographs of the pair. Tending a bridge with the stage production, The Last Dream boasts an imaginative setup created in collaboration with John Bausor, the set and co-costume designer.

El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego is currently running at the Met through June 5. If you’re not in New York, the Met will broadcast the opera in cinemas around the world on May 30.

Composer Gabriela Lena Frank and playwright Nilo Cruz imagine how one last encounter between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera would look like in the opera El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego.

Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego: Buy tickets

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Met Opera.

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READ: New Opera Dreams up the Final Encounter Between Artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

The Global Winner. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurospheres. Captured by Katie Holden of the United Kingdom.

The microscopic world is full of wonders. Luckily for us, scientists around the world work tirelessly to document it all; not only to study it, but to also share its beauty with us. Evident Scientific, a top microscope manufacturer, has shared the results of its 6th Image of the Year Award, which celebrates the best in scientific microscopic imaging. The winning images are both breathtaking and insightful.

Katie Holden of the United Kingdom was named the Global Winner for her image of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurospheres. “It reveals how neuronal cells self-organize into structures that mirror the layered complexity of the human brain, blending scientific insight with striking visual beauty,” explains Evident. Holden will receive an Evident SZX7 stereo microscope and a DP23 digital camera, or a set of X Line UPLXAPO objectives as a prize.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Tahir Khan of Ireland won the Materials Science category for an image of lignin fiber that looks like an aerial shot of orange-purple hued sand dunes. In the regional awards, Igor Siwanowicz from the United States won the Americas category for his image of Mallow pollen on stigma; Germany’s Gerd Günther won the expansive Europe, the Middle East, and Africa category for his image of Stigma of chicory with pollen grains; and Kentaro Mochizuki from Japan won in the Asia-Pacific competition with a hypnotic shot of sarcomere structures within cardiomyocytes in a rat heart.

Evident also revealed that this year’s winners were selected out of submissions from 34 countries. “Entries were evaluated by a distinguished panel of experts from the global scientific community. This year’s judges possess a wealth of knowledge in fields ranging from life sciences to materials science, ensuring a fair and comprehensive review of every submission.”

Scroll down to see the winning images, as well as the honorable mentions from this year’s competition. To stay up to date with this contest, follow Evident on Instagram.

Evident Scientific, a top microscope manufacturer, has shared the results of its 6th Image of the Year Award, which celebrates the best in scientific microscopic imaging.

Materials Science Winner. Lignin fiber. Captured by Muhammad Tahir Khan of Ireland.

Regional Award Winners: Americas. Mallow pollen on stigma. Captured by Igor Siwanowicz (USA).

Regional Award Winners: Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Stigma of chicory with pollen grains. Captured by Gerd Günther (Germany).

Regional Award Winners: Asia-Pacific. Sarcomere structures within cardiomyocytes in a rat heart. Captured by Kentaro Mochizuki (Japan).

Honorable Mention. Pollen grains on a jumping spider. Captured by Javier Rupérez (Spain).

Honorable Mention. Mouse embryonic fibroblast. Captured by Joe McKellar (France).

Honorable Mention. GFP-positive Thy1 neuron in a tissue-cleared mouse brain. Captured by Marko Pende (Austria).

Honorable Mention. Commissural axons navigating across the midline of a developing central nervous system in a chick embryo.
Captured by Alexandre Dumoulin (Switzerland).

Honorable Mention. Fluorescent immunostained brain tissue from an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model. Captured by Bettina Rákóczi (Hungary).

Honorable Mention. Two anterior median eyes of a jumping spider. Captured by Walter Ferrari (Argentina).

Honorable Mention. Adult zebrafish brain. Captured by Hannah Somers (United States).

Honorable Mention. Crab zoea. Captured by Tong Zhang (Canada).

Honorable Mention. Bidens pilosa attached to a pair of stockings. Captured by Hange Du (China).

Honorable Mention. Fairyfly. Captured by Hanyang Xue (China).

Honorable Mention. Diatom arrangement. Captured by Jan Rosenboom (Germany).

Evident: Website | Instagram

All images via Evident.

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Una publicación compartida por Grandma Stand™ (@grandmastand)

The older we get, the more knowledge we gain from our experiences, and one could argue that senior women are probably the wisest of us all. Unfortunately, they don’t often get many opportunities to share their wisdom with younger people. Back in 2012, however, a 96-year-old grandmother named Eileen Matthews was given a unique opportunity to do just that. Her grandson, Mike Matthews, knew she was the best listener out there. “She was full of love and empathy that completely disarmed you,” he says of Grandma Eileen. After putting her in touch with a coworker who needed a shoulder to cry, he had an idea. He decided to set up a lemonade stand (with a laptop instead of lemonade) in New York, where people could talk to Grandma Eileen, who was on her couch on Samammish, WA. And so, the Grandma Stand was born.

Grandma Eileen listened New Yorkers and uplifted anyone who visited her booth, which moved around the city from Central Park to subway platforms. Sadly, she passed away in 2018, shortly before turning 102. Following her passing, Matthews retired the stand… until 2024. After talking to people in his life, he realized everyone could really use some words of comfort. And so, he brought the stand back, painted it purple (Grandma Eileen’s favorite color), and enlisted volunteer grandmas to lend an open ear.

“Today, every week there’s a rotation of grandmas, discussion prompts and locations where the Grandma Stand pops-up,” reads Grandma Stand’s website. “So, anybody passing by can spend a couple minutes with an anonymous, non-judgemental grandma who is there to listen.” If people need an icebreaker, there are weekly discussion prompts, such as, “Who’s someone you need to forgive?” or “What’s bringing you joy right now?”

Current grandmas are found through word-of-mouth and recommendations. The requirements are based on Grandma Eileen’s best qualities: being a master at the art of listening, being present, and asking questions to understand who you are and how you really feel. “She never lectured or tried to solve your problem,” adds Matthews. “This is the same approach used today.” If selected, the usual time commitment is about two hours and it can be whenever is best suited for the grandma.

Now, in 2026, and Grandma Stands have expanded beyond NYC to six other cities, including Denver and McKinney, TX. People interested in launching a booth in their city can reach out to the organization. Since each stand is $800 to build, they welcome donations to help create more around the country.

To learn more, visit Grandma Stand’s website. To stay up to date with weekly discussion prompts and new booth locations, follow them on Instagram.

In an effort to combat loneliness, create intergenerational connection, and give older women visibility, there are “grandmas” who sit at a lemonade stand and offer to listen to anyone.

 

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This Grandma Stand, as it is called, enlists volunteer grandmas who kindly listen to strangers in a non-judgemental way.

 

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Anyone can sit down and talk to a grandma, who is there to listen and provide emotional comfort.

 

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If the visitors want, the senior woman can even give them a hug.

 

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The initiative was inspired by Grandma Eileen, who passed away at 101, and was always willing to listen and offer her wisdom to anyone who needed it.

Grandma Stand: Website | Instagram

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READ: This Traveling “Grandma Stand” Lets You Talk To Senior Women Who Will Listen, Hug, and Offer Advice